Synonyms

double take

American

noun

a rapid or surprised second look, either literal or figurative, at a person or situation whose significance had not been completely grasped at first.

His friends did a double take when they saw how much weight he had lost.

double take British

noun

(esp in comedy) a delayed reaction by a person to a remark, situation, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of double take

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Except I have to do a double take, because it’s not Mom.

From Literature

Something in your column made me do a double take.

From MarketWatch

It was a sight that prompted even seasoned wildlife watchers to do a double take: A coyote swimming in San Francisco Bay a quarter of a mile off Angel Island.

From Los Angeles Times

Before you reach for your snack drawer, you might want to do a double take.

From Salon

He'd arrived at the road adjacent to the tree and had to "double take" as he saw it for the first time lying on its side.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023